This week Heritage Foods USA is thrilled to announce the debut of the Red Wattle Surry-ano Ham.

What makes the Surry-ano such a great buy is that thanks to the dry curing process, you can leave this ham out on the counter with a sharp knife to be sliced whenever. You can literally leave it in the open air and it will not go bad! When you are hungry, just carve a slice! It won’t be taking up all that space in your refrigerator. Even the smallest sliver will satisfy!

For three generations, S. Wallace Edwards and Sons has been producing extraordinary cured meats in Surry Virginia. And now Sam Edwards is ready to sell his first Red Wattle Surry-ano hams, after their 400-day stay in the curehouse. Edwards has been producing his dry cured hams with Berkshire pork from Heritage Foods USA for several years, and was reluctant to experiment with another breed. “I wanted Berkshire pork, but Patrick persuaded me to try these, and I was thrilled with the results,” said Edwards. The Red Wattle pork has been transformed into spectacular Prosciutto style hams, sold either sliced, or as a boneless whole.

Chefs have become more and more excited about Red Wattle in the kitchen, but how it would perform in the cure process was something of an unknown. Red Wattles have an herbaceous, expressive porky flavor. The Berkshire, by contrast, is a smooth, unctuous meat with a round, buttery flavor. When the Berkshire Surry-ano was described as “intense silken essence of meat” by food scientist Harold McGee, it was hard to imagine how the Red Wattle would stack up against it. “I really didn’t want to use any other breed but Berkshire. I have changed my mind now!” proclaimed Edwards.

The Red Wattle just happens to be a supremely tasty breed, not too fatty, but with tender and succulent meat. Transformed by Edwards’ magic, it becomes a smooth, rich, silky ham with almost translucent flesh, and incomparable flavor; salty, sweet, and with the faintest touch of smoke. Edwards dry cures these hams with salt and then ages them for 18 months. “The lean/fat ratio in the Red Wattle makes those legs heavily marbled, which creates a fantastic, rich flavor when cured,” he said. “It is important to have that fat content when you age for 18 months. It keeps the ham from drying out. These hams have a great aged twang to them!”

The pigs are pasture-raised on the Lazy S Ranch in Glasco, KS. They forage outdoors in even the most inclement weather. The Red Wattle is a hardy breed, and very successful for this type of husbandry as they thrive in most climates. Larry and Madonna Sorell run an Animal Welfare Approved farm, and the pigs lead a happy existence. Pasture raised animals are healthier for human consumption being lower in LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and higher in omega 3 fatty acids.

This style of ham has literally dozens of uses: a small snack, or a fancy first course, served with melon, or asparagus, in a sandwich, or a panini. And just like prosciutto, it can be cubed up to flavor a pasta dish, soup, stew or a stuffing. We love having these hams around because they are a flexible easy-to-eat product that lends itself to many applications. Use it the way the Italians or the Spanish use their signature Prosciutto or Serrano hams. Tapas is a slice away.

We are offering very special deals on our beef primals: the Ribeye Roast, the Strip Roast, and the whole Filet. These three pieces represent the trifecta of supreme roasts and each has its own special characteristics.

The Strip Roast, also known as a Shell Roast, is lush and flavorful. It is from this section that steakhouse favorites, New York Strip Steaks, are cut. The Strip comes from the “short loin”, a bit further down from the Rib Roast.

The Rib Roast! Think of this as a standing rib roast, but without the bones. Easy to cook and to slice, this is an incomparable piece of beef. Rich, luxurious and deeply flavorful, its no surprise that rib roasts are so often selected for celebrations. Like the New York Strip Roast, you can also choose to slice a few steaks off of this piece for other meals. However you cook it, your friends and family will be thrilled.

Lastly we offer the Filet Mignon, or the tenderloin of beef, the most tender of the roasts. Buttery soft and tender, nothing is easier to cook, or makes a bigger impression on guests. The Filet is a mild flavored cut, and takes well to a variety of rubs or marinades. Try a porcini rub, a coffee rub, or crushed black peppercorns. One whole filet will feed about 12-14 people, so perfect for any gala dinner party or on a buffet.

In the steak department, if you don’t cut a few off of your roasts, you can order the Flatiron, a tasty cut from the chuck. A great steak for sauté, grill or broiling, this is a well-marbled and super tasty steak.

And finally, we all know that when the craving for a burger strikes, absolutely nothing beats our Piedmontese ground beef. This is a great item to keep in the freezer for those moments when a good meal is needed with minimum fuss or drama. Just grill or sauté for a fabulous experience.

Turkeys will arrive to you Tuesday November 23rd via FedEx Standard Overnight and your tracking number will arrive to your inbox a few days before. Turkeys come with neck and gizzards, as well as a free gift. Calculate one pound per person.

Our Heritage Turkeys are raised by Good Shepherd Ranch in Kansas and Leaping Waters Farm in Virginia.

All turkeys will come with a free gift of two 10oz Heritage Porterhouse Pork Chops. If you would prefer not to receive this gift, please note that in the Comment Box upon Checkout.

Heritage Foods USAThe Source for Authentic American Heritage Foods

Heritage Foods USA has been featured as a Company of the Year in Bon Appetit, House & Garden, Newsweek, Saveur Magazine and The New York Times Magazine.

Contact us with questions or ideas, look out for weekly announcements and
read new recipes, by visiting: www.HeritageFoodsUSA.com.